Sanguine Moon
by The Random Ninja
Summary: young!KuroFai. Alternate Timeline. He was an orphaned boy with a rough exterior. The other was an abandoned child who had no intention to live his life. Despite their differences, maybe they were truly meant to be, somehow.
1. Wolf Moon

**Title:**

**Pairing: young!KuroFai**

**Rating: T ( though this chapter is probably K+)**

**Warnings: Shonen-ai, light ( and I mean light) yaoi. We're talking about kids here. Like around 12 to 13 year olds. They're not going to do anything that would be in a total yaoi fan girl's dreams. Except for maybe a kiss or two. I'm not sure yet.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own. CLAMP on the other hand does…damn it.**

**Authors Notes: Well… I wanted to write a multi-chapter story and now that it's summer, I finally have the time. I also wanted to write a KuroFai story while they were in their preteens, so hence this Alternate Timeline fic. Review please, 'cause you know it makes me oh so happy.**

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Prologue: Wolf Moon

Cold. Desolate. Empty.

Those words not only described the snowy and corpse filled valley in which he lived-no, lived- but his emotions as well. As the young boy cradled a freshly dead body in his frail arms, he could only think of how Gehenna, the name of his world's hell, could only be slightly worse than where he was now. There was no way life could get much worse. Death would be welcomed with open arms.

He sighed dejectedly as it began to snow again. His whole body was numb, and not to mention he was severely dehydrated. Death was coming soon, and then he could rejoin the only person who had ever loved him. The person he had murdered unintentionally. He tightened his grip on the body.

The wind started to pick up and move more erratically. The boy shielded his eyes against the wind with his hands, glancing up at the sky with fear. This was strange weather, even for the snow-covered land of Valeria. When the walls surrounding the valley started to crumble away, he realized that whatever was happening was completely out of the ordinary.

"Is the world being destroyed…?" He wondered out loud, not really afraid, but weary all at the same time. Yes, he wanted to die, but he did prefer if it happened quickly. Though, he didn't deserve a quick and painless death. No, he deserved the death of a traitor.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a form starting to take shape. His vision blurred and he could barely see as a figure bloom out of a distortion of space, a short, chubby figure. The child did nothing as he felt himself being sucked into a vacuum, into a portal of some sort. The only thing he thought of as he left his home world was that Gehenna would punish him as he rightfully deserved.

* * *

The sun shone brightly down on a large, oriental castle, with pink sakura trees surrounding the palace with imposing grace. Cherry blossoms spiraled in counter clockwise motions on the breeze, giving the place an aura of peace and calm. Though, this was just an illusion. The palace was anything but serene on that day, despite its aesthetic appearance.

It was another seemingly normal day when the witch contacted them. The young princess of Nihon could only stare in wonder as a projection of the legendary Time-Space Witch appeared on the wall after a surprise visit from a strange rabbit-like creature. The creature, self-proclaimed as Mokana Midoki, had dropped in out of nowhere in the middle of the palace courtroom in a blur of feathers and twisted air. It hadn't surprised the princess, but the apprentice ninja and the ever faithful Souma had jumped up and assumed attack positions.

Tomoyo chuckled at the ninjas and flicked her hand to signal for them to calm down. The two relaxed slightly, but their guard was still up as they regarded the projection suspiciously. The witch smirked at the two and turned her attention to the princess.

" It's nice to meet your acquaintance, Tomoyo-hime," the witch said, bowing slightly to show respect. Tomoyo smiled warmly at her.

" Thank you. It's nice to meet you at long last…" Tomoyo paused, not quite sure as to how she should address the witch.

" Please, call me Yuuko, hime." Tomoyo nodded and murmured an agreement.

" So, Yuuko, what is the reason that you have contacted me?" The witch sighed deeply. This was going to be difficult. Especially for her.

" I have a favor to ask of you," Yuuko admitted, almost regretful in her tone of voice. Tomoyo's eyes widened in shock. Despite the fact they had never met before, the princess had heard many things about the Time Space Witch. About how she granted wishes for an equal price. It was strange that a woman who granted wishes for a living, was now asking for a favor.

" What is it that you ask of me?"

Yuuko closed her eyes, hoping that the outcome would come as expected. She knew the princess wouldn't refuse, but the witch hated that she had to force the decision upon the young princess.

" I would like to ask you to take a child into your care. This child comes from another dimension. Sadly, this dimension is coming to an end and the child has nowhere to go. I was hoping you would be able to take him in."

While Tomoyo pondered the proposition for a moment, the young ninja apprentice grinned broadly. There weren't a lot of kids in the palace and he often found himself lonely. Tomoyo was nice and all, but she was much younger than him and was always busy with her duties as princess. The thought of having another kid his age around, a boy at that, excited him greatly.

Tomoyo glanced at the boy she had taken under her wing not that long ago and smiled at the rare grin on his face. The ninja apprentice had rarely smiled since his parents had died, so it was nice to see a slip of the scowl that was constantly on his face. Tomoyo turned back to the witch and nodded swiftly.

"Yes, we'll take him." Yuuko smiled and bowed once again to the princess.

" Thank you, Tomoyo-hime. Mokona will stay in Nihon until the boy learns your language. Hopefully that won't be too long, for I need it for other uses…never mind that, though. Thank for accepting this favor and one day I will assist you, no matter of what you ask." Yuuko bowed once again and the projection faded away. Tomoyo blinked.

So…what now?

The princess turned to the rabbit-like creature. It smiled cheerfully at her, hopping towards her like a bunny on a sugar high. It stopped in front of her, and with a dramatic gulp of air, it 'gracefully' spit out a small, human child.

Tomoyo's throat tightened at the sight of the child, whom she presumed was a boy. His hair was far too overgrown, matted and gnarly. His clothes were threadbare and ripped. His skin was covered in blood, tiny hands scarred beyond belief. The princess rushed toward his, ignoring all the rules of royal etiquette, and gathered the grotesque child into her arms.

He blinked wearily up at her, too tired to struggle. His skin was puckered and stretched, making him look like a corpse. Tomoyo stroked his cheek with concern.

"What is your name?" She asked, giving him a small, sad smile. The boy hesitated before giving an answer.

"Fai," He whispered, before falling asleep in the princess's arms, safe at last in a strange world.

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**2 and a half a page. Grrr… I suck at writing long chapters. I really need to work on that. Anyways, please review. They make me smile.**

**Footnotes-**

**Gehenna is Valeria's name for Hell. I did not come up with this, CLAMP did. Or so the translation notes in the DelRey translations say. **

**I know this chapter sucked on thin ice, so I may rewrite it later. I'm not going to revise the whole entire story and resubmit it just so I can get more reviews, I'll just replace the chapters, okay? **

**Wow. I don't think ever seen 're' that many times in a paragraph before. Impressive or what? To add another 're' to this author's note, reply and review.**

**Paragraph Count: 27**

**Total Word Count(Chapter): 1,118**

**Total Word Count(Story): 1,118**


	2. Cold Moon

**Pairing(s): KuroFai; **

**Rating: T (For cussing)**

**Disclaimer: La la la! I don't own! Too bad, so sad! Fwee!**

**Author's Notes: I'm watching "Bridge to Terabithia" as I write this. That movie always makes me cry…it's just so sweet. I'm fond of stories that deal with young love (romantic or platonic) and death. They just pull at my heartstrings. Anyways….Here's the second chapter. Enjoy.**

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Chapter One: Cold Moon

"How is he doing, Tomoyo-hime?" Souma asked, concern lacing through her voice. The day had gone by in a blur. After the palace medics tended to the boy, they deemed him malnourished and extremely dehydrated. The reasons why the child was in that state were unknown for the Witch, Yuuko, hadn't spared any details to where the boy had resided previously. She hadn't even told them why she had chosen Nihon for him find refuge. Whatever the reasons, he was here now, and he was being cared for.

"The medics said Fai should make a full recovery with proper care," Tomoyo replied with a relieved smile. She had just finished talking to head medic. He seemed very worried about the young boy, but assured her he would fine. Souma sighed and massaged her temples.

"What a bizarre day we've had…" she stated wearily. Tomoyo nodded. Very bizarre indeed.

"How's the kid doing?" Tomoyo and Souma turned around to see Kurogane, a young ninja serving under Tomoyo, coming down the hall. The white, rabbit-like creature, self-proclaimed as Mokana, was sitting on his shoulder, chatting animatedly. He had been living in the palace for about a year now and he was still adjusting. His gruff personality rubbed many people the wrong way, including Souma, but Tomoyo had instantly took a liking to him. Despite his tough exterior, he was really a kind person. It just took one a while to dig down deep enough to see this, if Kurogane let them, that is.

Tomoyo smile softly at him. Souma glared at him.

"Address the princess the right way, you brat!" Souma scolded him, hitting him upside the head. Kurogane scowled and muttered "Damn bitch" under his breath, resulting in another slap upside the head.

"Stop, you two." Tomoyo turned to Kurogane, who was rubbing his head tenderly. "Fai will be okay, Kurogane…" Tomoyo paused, suddenly overcome by a stray thought. She then grinned broadly at the ninja. "Kurogane, could you help Fai-san get used to his new home? I would, but I am simply too busy and I'm sure both of you could use a friend your own age." Kurogane's eye twitched. Tomoyo was up to something, and he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to know what.

"Oh, and before I forget, my cousins are coming to town next week, so be sure to welcome them warmly" Tomoyo sighed dreamily. "My older cousin is getting married and they're going to having the wedding here in the palace. I'm so glad that Touya and Yukito are finally getting married!" Tomoyo squealed the last part.

"I'm so happy to be able to see my Sakura-chan again, too!"

Snorting, Kurogane muttered a casual "whatever". Predicting Souma's movements, he moved out of the way of a furious fist. He then stuck out his tongue childishly as she stumbled and continued down the hall. Mokana laughed and complimented "Mr. Black" on his ninja skills.

"Shut it, manjuu," Kurogane said, flicking the creature off his shoulders. Mokana pouted and wailed something about "Mr. Black is so mean to Mokana!" before taking off in the opposite direction. Kurogane rolled his eyes. Stupid manjuu bun.

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"What exactly are your intentions, my princess?" Souma looked at Tomoyo, who just smiled.

"Why, Soma, what makes you think I'm up to something?" Tomoyo replied mischievously, grinning. Souma sighed.

"It's just that…you got that sparkle in your eyes when you asked Kurogane to look after the boy…"Souma said, weary of what the princess might say. Tomoyo's grin grew wider and she chuckled brightly.

"Oh, Soma, can't you trust your princess? I'm not planning to do anything that wouldn't happen anyways."

"What do you mean, Tomoyo-hime?" Souma asked, curious. Tomoyo just laughed again.

"All in good time, Souma. All in good time."

* * *

Kurogane grumbled swear words under his breath. How the hell did get talked into bringing the kid dinner? He was a ninja for God's sake! Not some damn waiter, despite what the princess may think. Damn Tomoyo and her charisma.

Holding the tray of food with one hand, Kurogane pushed aside the door to see that the blonde boy was awake. Dressed in a blue yukata, he looked totally out of place on the futon he was resting on. Tomoyo had deemed him too unstable to leave his room, so she had convinced Kurogane to bring him some food. He grudgingly complied, mostly because he wanted to formally meet the boy. He had watched him arrive, but other than that he hadn't actually gotten a good look at the withered child.

Seeing him up close for the first time, Kurogane realized that they were about the same age.

The blonde boy glanced in his direction, but gave no other indication that he noticed Kurogane's presence. The older boy narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat. Still no response. Setting down the tray of food, Kurogane' kneeled down in of the boy.

"My name's Kuorgane," The ninja said, deciding to go with a polite approach. The blonde looked up at him now and regarded him cautiously. The boy's blue eyes had a defeated look, almost empty of emotion. As if he had no reason to even try to live again. Kurogane blinked; amazed that he could see all of this, just by looking into the other boy's eyes. Could he do this with other people, too? Or was it only with this one boy?

Then the guarded expression on the other boy's face was gone, replaced by a huge, goofy grin. Kurogane fell backwards comically, surprised by the boy's change in emotion. It was so weird and the blonde smiled as if he had never smiled before. The boy was just so…so strange. Something was defiantly off about him.

The blonde stuck out his hand, almost jabbing Kurogane in the process.

"I'm Fai! It's nice to meet you, Kuro-tan!" Kurogane clenched his teeth and scowled threateningly.

"What did you just call me, Blondie?!" Kurogane growled, looking like a wolf, dangerous and about to lose control. Fai just giggled unceremoniously, clearly not afraid of the larger boy.

"Ooh, Kuro-rin's like a wolf! He's so scaaary! Please don't eat me, Kuro-wan wan!" Kurogane almost killed the blonde right then and there. How dare he address him like some dumb bimbo?!

"Don't call me that! My name's Kurogane!" He barked, leaning towards Fai with a horrible expression on his face. Fai didn't take the hint, and continued to laugh.

"Duly noted, Mr. Black!" The only thing that restrained Kurogane from maiming the blonde was the fact that he still needed to regain his health. Just looking at his pale, thin, and dehydrated body made Kurogane physically ill. He couldn't even imagine what kind of hell Fai had been through. Probably something that made his own life seem like a walk in the park, and that defiantly wasn't easy at times.

Kurogane stood up at glared at Fai.

"This has nothing to do with me," He said harshly and with a turn of his heel, he stormed out of the room, slamming the sliding door behind him.

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**Weee!! Second chapter up! I have no idea at this point how many chapters there will be at this point, but I have the main plot figured out. Yeppers, yes I do!! Yeah, Random-chan is a little loopy right now, so she will just add that you all should review!**

**Paragraph Count: 31**

**Total Word Count (Chapter): 1,181**

**Total Word Count (Story): 2,299**


	3. Worm Moon

**Pairing: KuroFai**

**Warnings: There's actually a little shonen-ai in this chappie! Yay! It's mild though, as in, really mild.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own! Kuranpu does though!**

**Author's Notes: *Sigh* I really wish I could write longer chapters, but I'm have trouble just writing this much for one. Gosh, and to think I want to be a professional author! Le gasp! D=**

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**Chapter Two: Worm Moon**

It had been almost two full weeks since Kurogane had talked to Fai. Every time he begrudgingly brought the blonde meals on Tomoyo's behalf, the young ninja didn't utter a single word to him. Nor did he make eye contact. He would set a tray of food down in front of Fai and leave the room with no form of communication.

On the bright side, Fai was looking healthier with each day. His body was now starting to resemble a living human boy, no longer looking like a corpse. He would attack any food that was placed in front of him like an animal, not even bothering to use the chopsticks supplied. It disgusted Kurogane to a point where one day, he decided to screw the silent treatment and teach the kid how to properly eat his food.

"This is how you hold chopsticks" Kurogane said, demonstrating with his own hands. Fai just looked at him with a confused look on his face. "You use sticks to eat with?"

Kurogane groaned and shook his head.

"Yes, you idiot. What else would we eat with?"

"Um…forks and knives…" Fai muttered feebly. Now it was Kurogane's turn to look confused.

"What the hell are those? Never mind, here." Kurogane took Fai's hands and showed him the proper way to hold the chopsticks. "And this is how you pick stuff up," Kurogane, maneuvering Fai's hands, helping him to pick up the rice on the tray. Once he got a decent amount, Kurogane let go of the blonde, letting him eat. Some rice fell out of his grip, but otherwise, Fai was able to eat with the chopsticks. Kurogane almost smiled at his own ability to teach, but he acted indifferent.

They sat in silence for a while, save the grunts of frustration from Fai. A few minutes went by until the blonde finally got up the courage to speak.

"I'm sorry."

Kurogane looked up at Fai. The other boy had his head down, looking rather pitiful as his long hair flopped in his face.

"I've never interacted with children my age…well, with anyone at all…so I tried to act friendly and cheerful, so that maybe…you might like me better…" Fai continued. Kurogane stayed silent.

"I really don't know how to act around other people." Fai said, sighing sadly. Kurogane scowled.

"Don't act. Just be yourself. No one's going to hate you for being what you are, idiot." Fai glanced up at Kurogane with a shy expression.

"I will do that, Kuro-mi," Fai replied. Kurogane growled.

"I thought you said you would stop fooling around!" Fai's sad expression turned slightly mischievous as he regarded Kurogane with a seemingly innocent face.

"But, Kuro-rin, I'm just trying to make your name prettier. The nicknames fit you so well!" Kurogane threw his hands up in defeat. There was no getting through to this kid.

They fell into silence again. Fai ate his food slowly, sloppily trying to keep the food within the chopsticks grasp, and Kurogane just watched him. When Fai finally finished, Kurogane took the tray away and left the room without any goodbye.

* * *

Fai watched with curiosity as the young princess threw herself at a another girl who had just entered the castle courtyard. He had been looking through the window, lost in thought, when the arrival of four visitors caught his eyes.

The princess, Tomoyo, was now talking animatedly to the other girl, a brunette with a sweet face. The other two were older men, most likely in their early twenties, if Fai had to guess. Upon closer inspection, he was shocked to see that the men were holding hands. His heart hammered anxiously in his chest, and he looked away quickly from the window.

'Maybe one of them is blind and the other is just making sure he doesn't run into anything…'Fai thought, hoping for their sake that it was true. He wasn't sure about the new world, but in Valeria, such intimacy between men was not taken lightly. Which is why the strange attachment he had made to Kurogane all the more frightening. It wasn't a wise idea to get close. Especially…

'Especially if I was meant to kill him,' Fai thought dejectedly. He couldn't just forget the events that followed his current namesake's death. He could remember with crystal clarity of what that man had instructed him to do. If he wanted the real Fai back, then he would stop at no cost to bring that wish to fruition.

Fai sighed and picked up the chopsticks he had kept after his lunch. Even if he had to someday kill him, Fai might as well impress Kurogane while he had the chance.

* * *

"Oi."

Fai looked up at Kurogane, eyeing him with a lazy expression. The ninja had taken to eating his meals with Fai, even offering up an occasional conversation. Though, it was rather awkward and uncomfortable, it was the thought that counted.

"Yes, Kuro-tan?" Fai replied, pleased that Kurogane had decided to ignore the nickname. The ninja looked him up and down, and Fai felt slightly embarrassed by the way the other boy was studying him.

"What is it, Kuro-chi?" Kurogane looked back up to Fai's eyes.

"How old are you?" He asked bluntly. Fai blinked. How old was he? The blonde scratched the top of his head, pondering. After a long moment he replied.

"I'm twelve, I think."

"You think? How can you not know your own age?"

Fai shrugged and took another bite of rice.

"I wasn't able to keep track of time in the place I lived. The only way I knew time was passing by was my own body growing. If I would have to guess my age, I think I'm eleven or twelve years old." Fai looked directly into Kurogane's eyes, as if challenging him to mock him. Kurogane grunted and mumbled something under his breath.

"How old are you, Kuro-puu?" Fai asked, mildly curious. They couldn't be that far apart in age. Kurogane towered over Fai, but he was rather tall for any young adult.

Kurogane snorted and looked away.

"I'll be fifteen in two months," He replied.

"Congratulations!" Fai chirped. Kurogane rolled his eyes and muttered "Whatever."

"You should speak up, Kuro-kun. One may think you might not want anybody to hear you!" Fai said, a dead-pan look on his face. Kurogane scowled.

"Pain in the ass, that's what you are."

Fai chuckled lightly. Rolling his eyes, Kurogane moved to take away the trays of food, but the blonde stopped him, grabbing his wrist before he had completely stood up. The older boy gave the younger a puzzled look.

Sheepishly, Fai rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.

"Um…I was wondering…If you could cut my hair…" Fai asked, not meeting Kurogane's gaze. "It's so long…and soon I'll be back on my feet and it would be a pain having such long hair." He motioned to his over-grown hair, pooling around him on the floor. Kurogane shrugged and took out one of the kunai he always kept on his person.

"Where do you want me to cut it?" Kurogane asked as he kneeled behind Fai.

"To my shoulders."

"Are you sure? People will still think you look like a girl…"Kurogane questioned, remembering how many of the palace inhabitants had referred to Fai as a female. The boy admittedly looked feminine to the untrained eye, but Kurogane knew him well enough to be able to pick out the masculine, no matter how slight they may be, features on Fai. With age, the blonde would probably start to look like a male, but for now he was stuck in the androgyny of childhood.

"I don't care what others think of me." Fai was clearly lying, with hesitant forcefulness, but Kurogane gave a mental shrug and began to cut away at the blonde's hair. He noted, that in the right lighting, Fai's hair color was similar to a full moon during the winter. This thought surprised him and he quickly pushed it aside. He should not be thinking about the annoying brat that way. He was an idiot at best, not to mention way too young for Kurogane to be thinking about him intimately.

"There. Done," Kurogane said, holding up the large, blonde mass that was once Fai's hair.

"Thank you." Kurogane could have sworn he saw a faint smile from Fai, but it was so brief he couldn't tell. He snorted and stood up once again to leave.

Fai watched as Kurogane started gather the mess they made while eating, melancholy at the fact he would be alone again. The only time he would get visitors was meals with Kurogane and the occasional check ins from Tomoyo and the medics. Even less from Tomoyo; she was very business with her duties as princess. It got so lonely, though he should be used to desolateness by now. He had grown up with it after all.

Kurogane paused by the door and turned around to look back at Fai.

"Hey."

Fai snapped out of his thoughts and regarded Kurogane with mild confusion.

"If you're up to it, we should do something tomorrow. I could show you around or something…" Kurogane's faced flushed slightly. Fai blinked, but didn't say anything. Kurogane frowned, taking the silence as a no, and turned to walk out the door.

"That would be nice, Kuro-mi."

Kurogane glanced back at Fai, who had chosen to examine the floor, avoiding the ninja's gaze. Kurogane smirked and walked out into the hallway.

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**Sakura and company will be formally introduced next chapter, along with some sweet, fluffy KuroFai goodness. Fwee! I'm tired…so goodnight, people! **

**Tralalala! Random-chan is muy cansada! Lalalala! **

**Total Word Count (Chapter): 1590**

**Total Word Count (Story): 3889**


	4. Pink Moon

**Pairing: KuroFai**

**Warning: Shounen-ai and some cussing**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like CLAMP? No? So then, I obviously don't own Tsubasa Chronicle, now do I?**

**Author's Note: I'm tired…really tired…ugh…you guys better enjoy this chapter. The gardens are based on the Koko-en Gardens. The castle, is of course based on the Himeji Castle. Look it up.**

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Kurogane practically dragged Fai out of bed the next morning. Given permission from Tomoyo, though he was still weary of the suspicious smile she give him, he had received the day off from ninja training. The young shinobi was ecstatic. He loved being a ninja and he wouldn't trade it for the world, but sometimes it was nice to relax. Not that he'd ever admit to such out loud.

"Come on!" Kurogane said, helping Fai into his yukata. The blonde looked at him wryly.

"Why, Kuro-wanko, I don't believe I've ever seen you this excited? Is it because you are happy to be spending the day with me?" Fai asked smugly, not really meaning what he said. Or, at least, that's what he told himself.

Kurogane snorted.

"Idiot. I'm happy that I have the day off. Not because I get to spend it with you."

Fai chuckled nervously, half-way disappointed. He had been hoping for Kurogane to get aggravated and for him to fling back some insult. He hadn't expected the blunt truth from the young ninja. Nor had Fai expected the sadness he felt that accompanied it.

He shrugged it off though and smiled amiably.

"That's too bad, Kuro-chi." He leaned into the taller boy.

"Because, we're stuck together, you and I are," Fai said, eyes twinkling.

Kurogane rolled his eyes and pushed the blonde away.

"Whatever," he muttered as he turned around quickly, surprised at the warmth spreading over his face. No way. There was no freaking way he was blushing because of the blonde moron.

"Are you blushing?" Fai asked with innocent curiosity.

"Hell to the mother-fucking NO!" Kurogane roared, fists clenched. Fai giggled and waved his hands in calming manner.

"Jeez, Kuro-kun, I was simply joking around."

Fai slipped on a pair of geta before sliding open the door. Taking in a breath of fresh air, he smiled in contentment. He had been stuck inside the same room for weeks now while regaining his health. He was a little shaky on his legs, but Fai didn't mind this. He was happy as long as he could be somewhat free.

"It looks as if it might rain today, doesn't it, Kuro-pippi?" Fai said, looking out at the gray sky. Kurogane muttered something under his breath, and Fai chose to ignore him.

Kurogane was right behind him as Fai took a step out into the hallway. The blonde stumbled a little. Kurogane took hold of his arm to keep the boy from falling over. He scowled.

"Klutz. Come on, we don't have the whole day."

Fai grinned at him.

"On the contrary, we do, Kuro-mun."

* * *

"It's nice to meet you, Fai-san and Kurogane-san!" The girl Fai had seen yesterday had quickly introduced herself as Kinomoto Sakura, Tomoyo's cousin. She ran up to the two boys as they made their way towards the gardens, and after she gave them her name, Sakura had asked if she could accompany them.

Fai smiled brightly at Sakura who smiled sweetly in return.

"Of course you can, Sakura-chan. You can help me cheer up Grumpy!" Fai said, pointing at Kurogane. The ninja growled, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Shut up, dumbass!"

Sakura gasped at Kurogane's obscene choice of words. Fai clamped his hands over her ears and mockingly glared at the ninja.

"Kuro-chan! How could you use such harsh language around children?"

Fai removed his hands and placed them around the young girl protectively.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan. Fai-mommy won't let Kuro-daddy dirty your mind."

"What the hell! Don't be so familiar with someone you just met! And we are not her parents! You aren't her mother, you're male, you idiot!" Kurogane snarled viciously. Fai just grinned, apparently unfazed by the somewhat dangerous ninja. Sakura stood there, unsure of whether or not to interject.

"Um…" Sakura mumbled shyly. Fai looked down at her.

"I'm so sorry about, Sakura-chan. Kuro-wan wan doesn't know how to control his tongue," Fai said. He linked arms with the girl and they began walking once again to the gardens. Turning his head to look back at the ninja, Fai stuck out his tongue at Kurogane in a teasing manner. Kurogane fumed.

The blonde was extremely annoying. A total pain in the ass.

And yet, Kurogane found himself chasing after Fai, trying to catch up to him.

* * *

"These gardens are gorgeous."

Kurogane couldn't help but nod in agreement. They were in the third of the nine different gardens of Shirasagi Castle. This one contained an expanse Koi fish pond. Fai stared with wonder as the multi-colored fish swum about. Sakura was kneeling by the edge of the pond, peering into the water.

"Don't fall in, kid. I won't be happy if I have to fish you out," Kurogane said.

"What Kuro-wan means to say is that he wouldn't want you to get hurt, Sakura-chan," Fai remarked, walking over to stand by the girl. He patted her shoulder lightly.

Kurogane growled menacingly.

"I say what I mean to say! Don't correct me, moron!"

Fai ignored him and continued to chat with Sakura.

Kurogane sighed and leaned up against a sakura tree. Looking up, he saw that the blossoms would soon be in full bloom. He grinned to himself, vaguely wondering if Fai would enjoy going to the Cherry Blossom Festival with him. He shook this off quickly, angrily finding that once again that he was blushing because of the blonde. Groaning inwardly, the ninja was seriously considering therapy. No sane person would be intimately interested in Fai, so Kurogane _must've_ be losing his mind.

_Plop._

Feeling a warm, wet substance hit his nose, Kurogane glanced around to see that it was beginning to rain. 'Crap,' he thought.

"Hey, let's move to the pavilion, it's starting to rain," Kurogane called out to Fai and Sakura.

Sakura ran with Kurogane to the structure. Once they got under the roof, the rain began to pour. Looking out, Kurogane saw that Fai had lagged behind.

"Hey get in here! You'll get sick!" Kurogane shouted over the roar of the rain. Fai apparently did not hear him for he was still walking idly towards the pavilion. Kurogane grimaced, wondering if he should run out to retrieve the blonde.

Kurogane made up his mind when Fai fell over into the now muddy ground. Cussing under his breath, the ninja dashed into the rain to help the fallen boy.

Fai's hands kept slipping in the mud, making it difficult for him to get up. His once white yukata was stained brown and his spirits were considerably low. Fai sighed dejectedly. He would just have to wait until the rain let up. He was too weak to get himself up and it was unlikely that Kurogane would come and help him. Heck, the ninja was probably laughing at him right now.

Letting the dull pain in his knees sink in, Fai almost wanted to cry. Then he felt a tugging on his arm. Glancing up, he was surprised to see Kurogane trying to pull him up. Though in utter disbelief, Fai attempted to push his aching legs up, only to have them slide out from underneath him. He accidentally pulled Kurogane down with him, resulting with both of them face first in mud.

Kurogane growled and muttered "Klutz." Fai hung his head. Couldn't he do anything right?

Kurogane rolled his eyes at the melancholy blonde and scooped the boy up into his arms. Only because there was no way the klutz could get up himself, not because Kurogane felt concerned. Nope, he just wanted to get back to the pavilion as quickly as he could. End of story.

Fai gasped in surprised. He stared at Kurogane, who had pointedly kept his gaze on the pavilion. Gulping, Fai felt the back of his grow hot. His stomach felt like there were crickets going wild inside of it. Breathing harshly, Fai started to shake with fear. He could think like this. He shouldn't feel like this. These emotions for another male were extremely taboo. It was wrong.

So with a slight shake of his head, Fai decided to forget, to push aside his feelings. He wouldn't get himself caught up in them, he would simply ignore them as if they didn't exist.

He didn't thank Kurogane when the older boy set him down. He leaned on the side of the pavilion, watching the rain with a determined expression on his face.

* * *

"Hey."

Fai glanced over at the ninja.

Sakura had taken off after the rain le up to take a bath and change her clothes, leaving Kurogane and Fai to themselves. They hadn't talked much. Most of the time, a thick blanket of tension hung over them, surrounded by the uncomfortable silence.

"Yes?" Fai replied, not saying Kurogane's name like he usually would. He wasn't even sure if he would continue with the silly nicknames. It might be better to be formal with Kurogane, easier for Fai to ignore the nagging infatuation for the ninja. He cringed at the possible thought of being infatuated with Kurogane. Somewhere, fate was laughing at his expense.

"Do you want to see the village?" Kurogane asked nonchalantly. Fai shrugged.

"Sure. How long of a walk is it there?"

"We aren't going there."

Fai raised an eyebrow, a puzzled look adorning his face.

"Then how-" Fai was cut off by Kurogane, who had swiftly pulled the blonde onto his back.

"Hold on, klutz. It'll be messy if you fall off," Kurogane said. Fai was about to voice a protest before Kurogane took off. The ninja ran at full speed, successfully scaling the wall of one the buildings of the castle. Fai yelped and held onto Kurogane for dear life.

Kurogane jumped onto the roof and sprinted off towards the front of the castle. Fai shut his eyes tightly, whimpering in fear. Heights were not his forte.

_*Flick*_

_Blood spattering his face lightly. _

_White sky._

_Snow._

_Blood. Red blood._

_Bodies flung everywhere._

_A small corpse._

_*Flick*_

Fai shuddered at the flashback. He pushed it away. He was now hyperventilating with fear. Perhaps even excitement.

"Oi. Open your eyes."

Fai slowly opened up his eyes, his arms still clutched around Kurogane's shoulders. A breathtaking sight greeted him.

They were looking out into the intricate maze lazily winding downhill in the front of the castle. Paths and large trees and bushes made up the labyrinth. Beyond that was a sprawling village. Fai found himself transfixed on the beauty of Kurogane's world, not able to find the right words of the simple wonder of it.

"Cool, huh?"

Fai shook himself out of his trance.

"Yes. It's…amazing," He replied. The ninja smirked at him. Fai hesitated, and deciding to screw what wrong and right, he smiled happily back at the boy.

* * *

**Ah, you fan girls will be really happy with the next chapter. No smut, but it's really sweet, in my opinion.**

**Review if you can, please.**

**Total Word Count (Chapter): 1791**

**Total Word Count (Story): 5680**


	5. Flower Moon

**Pairings: KuroFai, a little ToyaYuki**

**Warnings: Brief nudity (not graphic), and some cussing**

**Disclaimer: Nope. I don't own TRC. It would be a sucky manga if I did.**

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry I took so long to update. I…I'm losing interest in this story. I'm going to try to finish it, but no promises. Gah, this feels like a filler chapter almost, but we get some touching moments between Kurogane and Fai, so you guys can deal. **

**Also, I promise that this story has a point. I just haven't gotten around to it, yet.**

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* * *

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After a long, tiring day of exploring and rough-housing in the mud, it was nice to finally be able to relax in a hot bath. Fai waited patiently outside the door while Kurogane took the first turn. His eyelids drooping, Fai couldn't wait to get back to his loving futon, for once. Despite the fact that the sleeping arrangements here in Nihon were very different than those in Valeria, he was too tired to care.

It was dark in the hallway, illuminated only by the soft, orange glow of the lanterns inside the bathing quarters. It wasn't much actually, just a screen door and an old wooden bathtub. But it served it purpose and neither could complain.

Fai listened as he heard Kurogane get into the bathtub with a loud splashing sound. The young ninja sighed and grumbled something incoherently.

"What was that, Kuro-tan? I didn't quite catch that," Fai called out, teasing the other boy. Kurogane shouted a protest to name with a string of obscenities.

"I said, 'the water's hot' you idiot! I wasn't talking to you anyways!" Fai chuckled and grinned broadly.

"Who else would you be talking to, Kuro-chi? I don't see anyone else around, so you must have been talking to me. Unless, you were talking to yourself, but that would be weird, Kuro-puu." Another string of obscenities followed from the ninja.

"Mage, I suggest you stop with the nick-names before I send you flying into the afterlife!" Kurogane threatened, shouting through the open door at Fai. The blonde frowned, leaning back against the rice paper wall.

"You don't even realize how much better it would be if I were dead, Kuro-kun," Fai whispered sorrowfully. Unfortunately, said ninja heard this, with the help of his trained hearing. He scowled and narrowed his eyes at the figure outside the door.

"Stop that nonsense, mage. I don't want to hear that suicidal crap," He barked. Fai froze, embarrassed that the other boy had heard him. He felt his face grow warm with blush and he sighed dejectedly.

"I don't expect you to understand, Kuro-chu. It's…complicated…" Fai said, not bothering to lower his voice. Kurogane quirked an eyebrow. He wouldn't understand, huh…

"What are you saying?" Fai chuckled and shook his head. The ninja really needed to learn to stay out of matters that needn't be bothered with. It was beginning to be a habit, an annoying one at that. Kurogane waited for Fai's reply.

"Let's just say that the world would be a better place if I didn't exist."

Kurogane's eyes widened. What the hell was that kid saying?! This had to stop, here and now.

Fai took Kurogane's silence as a permission to continue, but he refused to indulge the ninja any further in his carefully hidden emotions. Deciding to end the conversation there, Fai began to repeat what he had said earlier.

"As I said before, I don't expect-". Fai was cut short by two tan hands grasping him roughly by the shoulders and turning him around. The blonde stared, horrified, up at Kurogane, whom had clambered out of the tub, still wet and naked with no sign of embarrassment at all.

Fai gulped. Was he going to hurt him?

"I've vowed to always protect those who are important to me. Whether it be from enemies, demons," Kurogane narrowed his eyes at Fai. "Or themselves."

Fai lowered his head in shame. Closing his eyes, he thought about what the other boy had said. He wished that he could disappear into the background and avoid this disgrace. It was pathetic how he couldn't manage to hide anything from the other boy, and they barely knew each other. Even so, Fai had apparently become someone important to Kurogane.

Wait a minute-He was important to Kurogane? Such a thought was simply impossible to comprehend, but the ninja had said it himself. Fai opened his eyes, and quickly snapped his line of vision back up to Kurogane's face. The blonde's face turned a tinge of pink after seeing a flash of tan skin in places way too intimate for a non-lover to see. Kurogane grunted and continued with his rant.

"There are many things I hate about the world. The one thing that I hate the most, though, is when a person gives up on life when it's still worth living." Kurogane stared at Fai, daring him to argue. Fai stared back, with an almost shocked expression on his face. He shook it off quickly though and grinned broadly up at Kurogane.

"I guess you hate me then, Kuro-sama." Said ninja grunted and released the blonde's shoulders, standing up to go back into the bathing chamber. Flustered, Fai averted his gaze politely.

Before he entered the room, Kurogane looked back Fai. Bewildered by his intense stare, Fai found he couldn't look away, pulled in like magnetism by the ninja's scarlet eyes. All thoughts halted, and his breath caught in his throat. All because of the meaningful look Kurogane was giving him. When the other boy finally looked away, he shook his head, as if he was trying to get a random thought out of his mind. When he reentered the bathing chamber, Fai's breath hitched a couple times before it finally returned to normal. He blinked his blues eyes in confusion.

_What…was that?_

---

Kurogane's head was throbbing, he still had excess mud in his ears (Don't even ask how it got there), and he was extremely annoyed.

The damn blonde was not only a pain in the butt, he was also apparently prejudice.

It had happened during dinner. Kurogane was expected to keep an eye on Tomoyo at the time, so Fai had tagged along too. The young ninja wouldn't have minded Fai hanging around, but he insisted on calling Kurogane those silly nicknames even in the presence of the princess and her extended family. When Tomoyo heard the blonde talking to him as if he were a child, the princess giggled and joined in on the teasing.

If that wasn't bad enough, Fai had rushed off before dinner had begun.

Tomoyo introduced her family to the two when they joined them. Fai and Kurogane already knew Sakura, Tomoyo's cousin. Kurogane was vaguely familiar with Sakura's brother, Touya, who had visited a few months ago to go over wedding plans with Tomoyo's sister. The ninja also remembered how Tomoyo had constantly bombarded Touya with ideas for the wedding, usual big and unconventional in concept. The princess was quite upset when the couple decided on a small wedding with only family and close friends in attendance.

The trouble had started when Yukito was introduced as Touya's fiancée. Kurogane was already fully away of their relationship, so he wasn't surprised. Fai on the other hand grew strangely quiet. When Kurogane looked back to ask what was wrong, not that he really cared, the blonde had dashed out of the room. Luckily, he was able to make up an excuse on Fai's behalf, swiftly explaining that Fai was unwell and probably went off to lay down.

Tomoyo, of course, was concerned for Fai and insisted that Kurogane go check on him. The ninja had reluctantly agreed. He had a very hard time saying no to Tomoyo's puppy-dogs eyes. She's a master manipulator, no doubt about that.

So here he was, roaming the halls, trying to find Fai. Kurogane had first checked in the blondes sleeping quarters, but he wasn't there. So, Kurogane began to search the palace, looking for the kid.

_He's probably gotten himself lost, the idiot_, Kurogane thought as he closed yet another empty room. Despite the fact that Fai had been a guest of Shirasagi Castle for a few weeks now, he wasn't at all familiar with the layout of the palace. Which is why the 'lost' theory seemed to be the most likely reason as to why Kurogane hadn't been able to find Fai.

"Hey, Blondie!" Kurogane shouted, hoping that Fai would be able to hear him. Seeing as how he never listened to the ninja anyways, it was unlikely that he would appear.

Kurogane growled. This was getting to be very bothersome. He had been searching for some time now, and he was positive that he missed dinner. Clenching his fist, Kurogane mentally declared that he would give up if he hadn't found Fai in the next five minutes.

Nodding to himself, Kurogane took off down the hall, and suddenly found himself falling face first onto the floor. His foot had hooked under something. Looking up, Kurogane saw that it was the elusive Fai that he had tripped over.

"Where the hell have you been, idiot?! I've been looking all over for you!" Kurogane shouted. The blonde didn't look up at him, he just continued to sit with his head down, pale hair falling over his face. Kurogane sighed and detached his legs from Fai's. Sitting cross-legged, he glared at the other boy.

"What's your problem? You just rushed out of there with no explanation. It was…well, rude."

Fai looked up at him, a slight glare on his face.

"You're the one to talk," he said coldly, crossing his arms.

"Precisely, I know what rude is, and I will call you out for it."

"Hypocrite," Fai retorted.

"I never said I wasn't, did I?" Kurogane snapped back. They both narrowed their eyes at each other and continued to sit and stare at the other for moment. Fai was the one who broke the eye contact, looking away blushingly.

Kurogane sighed again and rose from his spot on the floor. He offered a hand to Fai.

"Come on, it's late. Let's go to bed."

Fai nodded and took Kurogane's hand, letting the older boy pull him up. When he was standing, Fai stumbled dizzily. He swayed and would have fallen backwards if not for Kurogane pulling the blonde into his arms.

Fai flushed and almost pushed Kurogane away from him. Almost.

"I swear, you're the most uncoordinated person I know," Kurogane said, looping Fai's arm over his shoulder. "Let's get you to bed."

Fai made a meek noise and Kurogane looked down to see the blonde blushing. He raised an eyebrow.

"C-can I…sleep in your room tonight?" Fai asked timidly.

"Why?"

Fai lowered his head.

"I…don't want to be alone…" he replied softly. Kurogane stared at him and then shrugged.

"Whatever. Just don't get in my personal space," the ninja said nonchalantly. Fai's expression brightened and he grinned at the older boy.

"Aw, thank you Kuro-rin! You're so sweet!" Fai exclaimed. Kurogane twitched.

"Call me sweet again and I will castrate you with my sword."

"That would be rather messy, wouldn't it, Kuro-mi?"

"And knock it off with the nicknames already!"

* * *

**Total Word Count (Chapter): 1788**

**Total Word Count (Story): 7468**


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